If she hated him again?

38

It felt magical.

Neil couldn't make out that when, when did three years pass since his daughter came into his life. She was special. As soon as she arrived, the biggest problem of their life, Dayawanti Mehta died finally. Due to her arrival, he could find Avni, his Avni. His Avni, who played a major part in bringing the last piece to complete the puzzle of their life, Zara.

They were a happy family. Neil, Avni, Mowgli, Zara. This also saw an increase in the age of them all. Neil turned 38, Avni 37, Mowgli was now thirteen, and the cute little baby Zara was now three.

Despite this, their romance was still old. They didn't leave a stone unturned to romance when no one was there..

...............

"Mowgli, um keep Zara in her room all day long till evening okay?" AvNeil said to their son.

"Why?" He asked shrilly. Avni had explained it to him numerous times that Neil wasn't ignoring him. He mattered to him equally as Zara. Despite this, he felt jealous. Avni had then begun to doubt her own words. For Neil was indeed paying more than needed attention to Zara.

"Don't. Talk to your mother like that." Neil glared at him hardly, saying it sternly.

Mowgli scoffed looking the other way.
"I'm not gonna do anything for that witch." He said.

"MOWGLI!"
"Neil-" Neil raised his hand to slap him but Avni held his hand, shaking her head.

"Avni he's becoming bad day by day. Just on her birthday he can't behave nicely to her?" Neil protested.

"And what about you dad? Aren't you becoming a bad dad day by day? Khud ki galti dekhte nahi ho, mujhe vo Bata rage ho ho meri hai bhi nahi." Mowgli shrieked at him.

This was the peak of Neil's anger. He slapped him. Avni lost her grip from Neil's arm and looked at her son in shock. He was crying silently, not matching his eyes with anyone but the floor.

"This is what you get when you don't respect your parents." Neil spoke, looking at him angrily.

"Papa!" Zara came at that time, cheerfully. Neil immediately forgot his anger and took her in his arms, taking her away from the spot.

"Papa! Bh..bhai?" She spoke looking at his face. "Nothing." Neil replied softly taking her out.

Mowgli ran into his room, muttering cursed to Zara and slammed the door shut. "Bacha!" Avni ran behind him but was late to reach and stared at the oak door.

She needed to talk to Neil.

She went towards the lawn to see them playing together. No time to admire.

"Neil I need to talk to you." She spoke.
"Mumma join." Zi said, calling her from her small hands.
"Yes Mumma join." Neil repeated, laughing along with her.

"Zara I'm not in the mood please. Into your room right now. No arguments would be tolerated." Avni said.

"Arey Avni speak whatever you want to. Why shall she go?" Neil said and Zi nodded.

"So my say doesn't matter in this house now?" Avni asked, clenching her fists. Neil's way of monitoring a child was terribly terrific.

"Avni why are you talking like this yaar?" Neil said, making Zi stand on the ground and held her gently from her arms. He cupped her face, worry on her face.

"Ne..Neil ye tum Kyun aise behave kar rhe ho uske saath?" She asked in a defeated tone, NaCl.H20 dropping from her eyes.
[🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊]

"Avni he was talking rudely to us. And He was abusing Zara for no reason!"

"No reason? Neil why don't you understand that favouritism is paving your way. Zara's became your favourite and Mowgli is now no one." She almost shrieked. Neil was literally turning blind.

"Oh hello? Favouritism nhi hai okay? Don't use wrong words at the wrong place. Siblings don't behave the way these two do." Neil said sarcastically doing no good rather worse to Avni.

"They do. And tumhe kabhi Zara ki galti nhi lagti. Everytime it's Mowgli Mowgli Mowgli." Avni fussed.

"Mumma." Zara asked innocently, tears in her eyes at her mumma's words.

"Baby she didn't mean it. Zara!" Neil said to a crying Zara who ran back at once.

"AVNI!" Neil yelled at her for making Zara cry on her birthday.

"How the hell do you know that siblings behave this way? Haan? Khud ka bhai to tha nhi tumhare paas! How can you say?" Neil accused her for no crime.

"Tha. Tha mera bhai. We didn't fight but that was because our mother was dead and we were orphans. But I've seen others do that. They fight Neil. Its normal." Avni raged, hurt at his words.

"Oh so we wait for you to die so that they behave nicely with each other?" Neil said. Avni stopped protesting. Neil would say such a thing to her...