Avneil FF

Chapter 46

Neil- ok. He understood where she was coming from.  But he told her to get some rest first and 

With much difficulty he convinced her to grab a bite to eat.Avni was too tired to argue. She just went through the motions. They both slept but she was awake in an hour only. She went downstairs to inform bebe and shweta about her decision and Neil drove her home . She set up her stuff there and then arranged for food both for Aman and her mother. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to tolerate anything orally but she made some soup and some porridge for her nevertheless. She relieved Aman and took over from him, sitting by the bedside. Neelama was now much better. Over the course of the next day she got better.Her vomiting settled, all her metabolic abnormalities had been corrected. Her antiemetic medications were adjusted and she was finally ready for discharge. 

Neelama wasnt surprised when avni told her that she had moved back in to take care of her. But she couldn't argue also now that she had given avni such a big scare.

In the next few days she was almost back to normal. But once again avni was working herself to the ground. Neil, Aman dropped by often but there wasn't much they could really do to help with the actual caregiving.. but they sat by neelama, tried to keep her engaged as best as they could. Ali ,DD and The khannas also dropped by to see her once . 

Neil was worried about Avni though. After the scare avni was extremely scared about other side effects like infections...so she was anal about getting everyone to wear masks and wash their hands.  Neelama told him how she was working from home as much as she could, calling her every hour from her office if she had to go, and working late into the night to compensate. despite having madhvi tai around as the caretaker, avni was supervising every move and wanted to  be informed every little  thing. The next chemo cycle had been delayed due to the side effects and was scheduled after another 3 days. Everyone was tensed about it. Moreover Neil was also missing Avnis presence. It had been only 5  days since she had moved in with neelama but Neil missed her. He felt it even more when she came home that evening for an hour to pick up some of her stuff from their room...she had left Aman in charge. As he saw her scurry across their room, suddenly a thought occurred to him. 

He picked up a suitcase too and started packing his stuff.

Avni- tum kya kare Rahe ho?Neil- packingAvni kyun?Neil-  I'm also moving with you to neelamas for a few days.Just then Shweta, bebe walked in-Arey ye sab kya ho Raha hai? Avni- bebe, I came to pick up some stuff that I forgot to take earlier...Bebe- oh ok..Shweta- par Tillu, tum apne kapde Kyun pack kar rahe ho?Neil- main bhi avni ke saath jaaonga.he said simplyShweta- kya? Kyun?she started saying in an exasperated tone but bebe held her hand stopping her...Bebe- puttar, tum donon Ko nahi lagta that it might be easier to shift Neela here. Then hum sab milke dhyaan rakhenge naaAvni- nahi bebe. Maa is comfortable there. And I don't think she will want to be moved around. Plus we had worked it all out such that the hospital and her doctor is close by for emergencies.From here it'll be much farther away.Shweta- ok fine, but Tillu tumhe jaane ki kya zarurat hai?Avni- softly- mummyji is right. Tumhe aane ki zarurat nahi hai. The atmosphere was tense and awkward. Neil gestures his bebe and mom that he'd speak to them outside. He led them all into the living room Shweta- Tillu, tu kya kar Raha hai...she started loudlyNeil- mom, he interrupted her. Neelama ka treatment chal Raha hai. She has 2 more cycles of chemo left. Avni bahut pareshan hai.sab kuch zyadatar akele kar rahi hai.And in this situation don't you think it's necessary that I go with her to help her out.Shweta- but Tillu, uske liye tumhe vahaan rukne ki kya zarurat hai?Neil- what do you mean kya zarurat?Bebe- tum Neela Ko Yahaan le aao NaNeil- bebe, Avni just explained why that's not feasibleShweta- ok fine. 2-3 din ke liye ho aao. Neil- 2-3 din? Nahi Maa, treatment khatam hone ke liye atleast 1 mahina lagega if she has no side effects and gets both the remaining chemos on schedule. Shweta- KYA? Toh tum kya neelaji ke ghar poore ek mahine ke liye jaane vaale ho? Neil- mom, try to understand.after everything that happened, Avni is very tensed and she wants to stay with her mother till the whole course of treatment is over so...Shweta- Haan Tillu, that's ok. Neelaji is her mother but why are you...Neil- mom he interrupted. Neelama is now MY mother too. Bebe- but Tillu, help karne ke liye tujhe vahaan shift hone ki kya zarurat hai...Shweta- Haan she said vigorously agreeing with bebe..aur vaise bhi log kya kahenge...Neil- interrupted immediately- I knew it! Aapki problem toh ye hai...ki log kya kahenge! Kaunse log mom, kaunse log bebe...Bebe- puttar, Shweta yeh kahna chahti hai ki....Neil-interrupted again- bebe I know what you both are thinking. Problem humaare thinking ki hai...kaunse log aur kya kahenge ye log?! Kyun padi hai humein inn random "logon" ki? Point yeh hai ki -Meri biwi ki maa, meri maa bhi hai. Aur agar unka dhyaan rakhne , meri biwi unke saath rahegi, kya mera farz nahi Banta ki main uske saath jaoon to support them? Infact farz hi nahi, ye mera haq bhi hai. What's the big deal?Shweta- tum kya ghar jamai...Neil- MOM! He said shutting her up- problem kya hai ghar jamai banne main? It's not permanent anyway...jab hum ye expect karte hai ki ladki shaadi ke Baad uske pati ke ghar ke logon ki seva kare, unke saath rahe....what's the problem if I go to live there for a few days especially in what is such a difficult situation...huh?Bebe-puttar I know ki tum sahi ho but tum roz aate jaate bhi to rah sakte ho na yaha se...jaise ab tak Kar rahe the.Neil- bebe, ye Roz aane jaane se accha hai main kuch din vahi rah jaoon! I understand avnis reason to move there till the treatment is over and i don't see any reason to stay away from her when it's so much easier to go with her and help out...Shweta and bebe were silent now listening to Neil's explanationWhen he turned back and walked back to go upstairs to the room he noticed avni standing at the foot of the stairs hidden from view. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.Neil grabbed her hand and walked to their room before shweta and bebe saw her too...Avni- Neil...thank you. She said softlyNeil- avni thanks ki koi baat nahi hai....infact I'm sorry. I don't know how much you heard downstairs but it's not like bebe and mom don't want to....Avni- ssh...you don't need to explain. I know they also care about neelama but they are older, conservative...and some ideas and norms are just so deeply ingrained in our society....she trailed off....leaving the rest unsaid. Neil smiled at how understanding avni was. She had been fighting all of these societal prejudices and "conventions" like the tag of illegitimacy since she was a child...still she was not bitter about it even though she had every reason to be. Avni continued speaking-but I'm really lucky and grateful that YOU dont conform to all these norms... YOU have a mind of your own and thank you for always taking a stand for me even if it's against your own family. Neil- cupped her face- avni, always remember we are a team. It's never your family or my family...it's OURS. Avni hugged him and whispered once again- thank you husband.

NOTE- This chapter is perhaps a little too idealistic but I guess I took the liberty since the Neil Khanna we all great to love and adore on the show was an idealistic guy who didn't hesitate to question existing norms and support his wifey! Please do give me your feedback.